Book-holder



"J.PUSEY.

(No Model.)

BOOK HOLDER.

Patented July 4, 1882.

FIG-.2

, WITNESS: I

INVENTOR N. PETERS. Pm

UNITED STATES P NT OFFICE.

JOSHUA PUSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,500, dated July 4, 1882. Application filed April 15, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osHUA PUSEY, a (Billzen ot' the United States,'residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book-Holders,'of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference, where they occur,indicate corresponding parts, and of which-'- Figure 1 is an oblique perspective view of the invention as it appears supporting aclosed book in a vertical position. Fig.2 is a similar perspective view with the book opened and inclined toward the reader. Fig. 3 is a like perspective view with the book removed and the leaves of the holder opened out to a horizontal position-that is, to. their full extent. Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view through'the middle, showing the mechanism whereby the book may be rotated in its support-,raised or lowered, and inclined.

The invention relates to that class of bookholders adapted for cumbrous works-such as large dictionaries, bibles, &c.--in which the book, when closed, is sustained in a vertical position between rigid sides or leaves, and when openedout is supported by suchleaves, which are stopped from going beyond a horizontal position.

The invention consists in providing the ends of the leaves helowthe line of their pivotal supports with an inward inclination or curve, so that the weight of thebook, the rounded back of which impinging upon the curved ends of the leaves, will cause the latter above the line of their pivots to approach each other, and thus hold the sides of the book contained between them together, and retain the same in a vertical position, and which incurving ends will slightly raise the book and allow it to open out into and be supported by the extended leaves.

It'also consists in pivoting the said leaves to supports or bearings, which are secured to across-beam connected with devices to be hereinafter described, whereby the book, as supported by the leaves of the holder, may be rotated, inclined toward the reader or not, as wished, and if so inclined may be readily returned to ahorizontal position, and also, if desired, raised or lowered. I

It further consists in certain devices whereby the distance between the leaves may be readily increased or lessened at pleasure, so as to adjust the same in order to adapt it to the thickness of the particular book.

- It consists also in certain details of construction which which will be specified in some of the claims hereinafter to be made.

Referring now to the several figures, L L are two plane supporting-leaves inclined or curved toward each other at theirlower ends, A, as shown. They may beof any length or breadth, and made of wood, metal, or other suitable firm material. I prefer, however, to make them of binders-board paper of sufficient firmness and thickness-say about onequarter of an inch. Each leaf is pivoted at each end at B, a short distance above its curved extremity, to asupport, S, four in numher, which arethemselves secured to a beam,

O, as shown.

The special devices which I employ in the present instance, whereby the leaves are pivoted and supported, and also stopped from passing beyond a horizontal position when opened out, are as follows: Socketed end clasping-plates, D, each having a pivot, B, and, a'

stop pin or lug,E, at its 10 wet end, and shaped to correspond with the curve or form of that part of the leaf to' which it is attached, are driven flush onto the latter, and are thus securely retained in place. The pivot B corresponds with a hole in support S, which latter is shaped, as shown, so that when the leavesare closed they cannot pass beyonda vertical position inwardly by reason of the lug E stopping against an indentation in the support,

near the bottom thereof-that is, at H; and when the leaves are opened out the said lug will stop against the under side of the upward and inward extension, Y, of S, as in Figs. 1

2and3. Itis,however, notessential, although desirable, that the leaves be stopped from going beyond such vertical position.

Plates D may be striick up of sheet metal and provided with a hole therein in the place of pin B the latter being cast upon the support S, and being provided with a projecting lug at or near its free extremity for the end of the curved plate to stop against when theleaves "y are open. This inversion of hole and pivot obviates the necessity, in case the plate D is made of sheet metal, of riveting thereto the pins B and lug E.

The supports or bearings S, to which the leaves are pivoted,are rigidly secured to the ends of the beam 0 at the desired distance apart,depending upon the thickness of the particular book or work for which the holder may, be made.

When it is desired to have a holder which may be adapted to suit various books of differentthickness, I make the supports S transversely adjustable upon beam 0 in a manner that they may be readily secured at any required point. In the present instance I do this by providing the ends of said beam with slots I, through which the shank of S is passed, and is movable along the length of the slot, and is clamped to the beam by means of a nut, J, which is provided with a screw-thread corresponding with athread on the part ofthe shank extending below the beam. In order to prevent the supports from sliding on the latter from the pressure of the book against the curved ends of the leaves, I indent or roughen the respective bearing-surfaces of the beam and the support.

Other means of securing the supports S adjustably will occur to any mechanic.

The beamC is provided at or about themiddle thereof on its under side with a slotted part or lug, K, adapted to receive the upright M, the former being pivoted on the latter by means of pin N. M is inclined or cutaway on one side, as seen in the sectional view, Fig. 4, and while it and the beam are being pivoted together a helical spring, G, is inserted in slot K, where it is held in place by a socket, O, at the upper end of the slot and a stud, P, at the bottom of the inclined part of M.

It is obvious that if a downward pressure be applied to the side of beam (3 next the spring, the former, and with it the superincumbent book B 7:, will assumea slanting position, as in Fig. 3. The spring should be gaged so that when the book is thus inclined, and its center of gravity thereby thrown outside the vertical line passing through or near pivot N, it will not be so strong as to cause the book to return to a horizontal position, yet will sustain it in the latter position when elevated thereto by the reader; or, the spring may have a resistance not alone sufficient to overcome the gravity of the book when inclined, but may easily be held in that position by the aid of a light pressure of the hand.

I have employed a flat steel spring for the same purpose as the helical spring, securing one end of the same to the top of the upright M, and allowing its free end to extend through the slot of K, along the under side of the beam, so that when the latter is inclined the spring istherebydepressed. Ipreferthehelical spring arranged substantially as shown, as it is more readily secured in place. The lower or cylindrical portion of M is adapted to fit into a tube, Q, and rests upon the edge of the same upon the offset It. A part of M within said tube is contracted, as seen in Fig. 4, leaving the head or offset T, which is slotted at one point, so as to permit it to pass below a screw or pin, V, which projects within the tube Q. The object of this arrangement is to prevent the upright from being drawn out from the latter except when rotated, so as to bring said slot in line with the pin V. The slot may, however, be dispensed with, in which case pin V must be drawn out before M can be removed from the tube. Thisjnst-described feature ofthe device is comparatively unimportant. It is useful, however, when the holder is to be moved from place to place, when it is lifted by taking hold underneath ot' the beam 0, instead of the less convenient way oflifting or carrying it by the standard or leg W.

The tube Q may be provided, as shown in Fig. 4, with a screw-thread corresponding with a thread in the standard W, which latter is supported by the feet X. Thus the said tubet. e., in effect the book B kmay be raised or lowered by rotating the same to the right or the left.

In order to keep the book from sliding forward when inclined-that is, when brought to the position of Fig. 2-and at the same time to provide a soft surface for the book to rest upon, either when closed or open, (and thus prevent undue abrasion thereof,) I secure strips Z, of india-rubber or other suitable soft and yielding material, upon the inside of leaves L, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. Although as the upper limbs of the supportsSextend inwardly above the leaves thebook cannot therebyslide out from its supports, it is desirable to avoid the rubbing of the edges of its back, which would be apt to occur in case the frictionstrips Z were not used.

I shall now briefly describe the operation and mode of using the invention.

Having first adjusted the supports S, with the leaves pivoted thereon, at a distance apart equal to or somewhat greater than the thickness of the particular book, I place the latter between the leaves, either open or closed, so that the middle of its curved back will come about in line with the longitudinal axis of beam 0. If the book be closed, its weight pressing upon the curved ends of the leaves L will close themtogether until they clamp the sides of the book, and the parts assume the position shown by Fig. 1. If the book be laid open, resting upon the two leaves, it will of course remain in that position until closed. If, at the time, the bookbe not in proper position for the reader, it may be easily turned around to suit, as hereiubefore described. If it be not adjusted to the proper height, the tube Q may be screwed in or out, as the case may be, of the standard W. If the reader so desire, he

may tip the book toward him, as in Fig. 3, by simply pressing down upon the front part of the same.

My book-holder, as described and shown, is efficient, strong, and firm, and at the same time cheaply made. The book, when held by the ICC L of wood or paper.

As a holder for large family bibles, it is specially adapted, and may be made in styles becoming to usein connection with works of such character, which are themselves usually ornamentally made and bound. For example, thestandard W and feet or legs Xmay be of wood, gilt, 0r otherwise,-in ornate style, the supports S and plates D of burnished metal, and the leaves L of wood or paper coveredwith plush, plain or ornamented, or with embossed leather, or other pleasing material.

A holder constructed as shown is only suitable for books not exceeding a certain lengththat is, those whose length does not exceedthe distance between the limbs Y of S at one end of beam 0 and those at the other end. By simply projecting thesaid limbs outwardly beyond the leaves instead of inwardly,'as shown, and; placing lug E at a suitable distance above, instead of below the pivot B, books of any length may be placed between and be supported by the leaves L, either open or closed; or the same end may be attained by dispensing entirely with the parts Y, and stopping theleaves, when opened out, by means of chains orstraps, one end whereof is secured to the beam 0 and the other to the curved end-that is, the part of L below the pivot.

Having thus described my invention, that which I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a book-holder, the combination of the beam 0, supporting-standard, the adjustable supports or hearing S, and the two leaves L,

pivoted on the latter, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a book-holder, the leaves introverted at their lower ends, in combination with the pivotal supports, substantially as and for-the purposes shown and setforth.

3. The leaves L, supports S, beam 0, pivoted at about the middle thereof to upright M, and the spring S, combined, constructed, and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the two leaves L, pivotedito supports S, the beam 0, and the upright M, adapted to rotate on standardW, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with the beam 0, standard W, and the leaves L, provided with pivots B and stop-lug E, the supports S, secured to said beam, and having a projection, Y, whereby the leaves are stopped by lug E striking against said projection, substantiallyas shown and described.

6. In abook-holder, the friction-strips Z, secured to the inner sides of the leaves L, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JOSHUA PUSEY.

Witnesses:

LoUIs FOERSTER, GEORGE E. BUCKLEY. 

